The Battle for Farpoint
by Captain Koradis of the Empire
Summary: In the land of Morrowind, the Imperial Legion is undergoing an internal rebellion. An Imperial general, bent on taking control of the Legion for himself, gather's support across the land. The Legion's only hope rests in a young captain and his soldiers...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The runner breathed in and out quickly as he emerged from the towering stalks of corn. He had not time to rest as a swing of a blade came at him. With a quick side step, he avoiding the curved blade and delivered a sweeping punch to his assailant's face. His assailant, which he found out to be an Orc, growled in anger. The runner then drew his iron longsword and cleaved his opponent's head clean off. As soon as the beast fell to the ground, a voice called "Captain Bleda has entered the field!" A wave of cheers erupted across the battlefield that the runner finally beheld. Orcs and Goblins combated a force of Men. Bleda drew his sword up and vaulted forward into the fray, assisting his comrades against their foe.

"Report!" Bleda called out as he fought of a Goblin.

"Sir!" A soldier next to him spoke. "Colonel Lentonious is dead and we've taken 15% percent casualties! These bastards have really put a hurting on us!" The soldier drove a spear in the gullet of an Orc before speaking again. "Where the hell have you been?"

Bleda ducked beneath an Orc mace before driving his sword into his attacker's neck. "Tracking down General Van Dona." He spun around ninety degrees and swept his longsword into a Goblin's chest. "Needless to say, he's nowhere to be seen."

The soldier avoided an arrow shot from a Goblin archer. "Well, we still have our job to do here. We can't let these foul beings get past the watchtower. The whole village is depending on us!"

Bleda nodded. "What's the plan, Sergeant Kilian?"

Kilian threw his spear into an Orc Berserker before drawing his two short swords. "The company is now under your command."

Bleda rescued a fellow soldier from the swipe of an Orc claymore before responding. "Push forward! After this last wave, I want an immediate counter charge!"

Kilian did not so much as argue. "Consider it done, Captain!" He then returned into the fray, taking out another two Goblins.

Bleda was glad to have a capable officer like Kilian in the company. Their orders were to protect the village from a force of rogue Orcs that had allied themselves with a tribe of Goblins. Their main target was a small, non-descript village that had an over abundance of iron ore that was ripe for the taking. However, since the village fell under Imperial jurisdiction, the Legion was not about to let it fall. Not just because it was an asset to the Empire, but because of the ideal of the matter. They were Imperial citizens, and as such must be protected at all costs. That is how Bleda felt and that is how he expected the rest of his soldiers to feel.

The current wave of opponents finally broke and ran, at which point Bleda barked "Men, rally! Line formation, triple rank! On the double!" It took only seconds for the highly trained warriors to assemble in a professional fashion. "Soldiers..." He raised his sword high. "Charge!"

A loud wave of war cries and shouts echoed throughout the battlefield as the Imperial Legion company charged forward towards the reforming army of Orcs and Goblins. Bleda was at the forefront, he blade at his side as he kept up his mad dash, all the way down the gentle slope and right into the enemy's lines. Metal met metal as the clanging of weapons and armor re-sounded. Bleda was a fierce figure, his longsword driving home killing blows into his adversaries. The fighting for the next few minutes was fierce, but in the end, it was the Imperials who emerged victorious. Not a single Orc or Goblin remained standing. Bleda, dripping with blood and gore, raised his sword high and cried out "Doryah!" as the rest of the soldiers cheered "Hurrah!"

Bleda left the battlefield and found a nearby river to clean up in. The cold, clean water felt refreshing on his face. He had literally been running all day, and then with the recent fight, fatigue had finally caught up with him. After rinsing off his face and cleaning off his armor, he collapsed on the cool grass and stared up into the sky. The warrior closed his eyes and allowed the sun to warm his skin. He felt at peace.

Unfortunately for Bleda, that peace was interrupted when Sergeant Kilian stood over him. "I don't mean to disturb you, Captain, but General Van Dona has arrived."

Bleda's peaceful demeanor turned sour as the general strode up towards the two soldiers, dressed in very flashy attire, only becoming of an armchair general and not a warrior. "Ah, Bleda Koradis. I wanted to congratulate you on your victory here."

Bleda shrugged. "It wasn't me, but the men sir. Besides, thanks to the fact that you didn't show up in time, Colonel Lentonious is dead and we suffered more casualties than was needed."

Van Dona bellowed. "Now, Captain, must we always have this air of animosity between us? Besides, I was held us as well."

Kilian scoffed. "Like where, the local tavern? Or perhaps it was the brothel this time."

While Bleda inwardly smiled at Kilian's remark, he knew his friend had gone too far. There was a fine line between stating the obvious and making bold, even if they were warranted, accusations.

Van Dona only grinned. "Good thing I like the Mountain Wolf Company. Otherwise, I would have taken your head for that."

Kilian darkly smiled. "My apologies, General." The statement was of the upmost sarcasm.

Van Dona took a deep breath. "As much as I enjoy these verbal jousts, that is not the reason I wish to see you. Captain Bleda, we have an urgent mission that require a man of your skill and a company of your renown.

Bleda nodded. "What's the situation, General?"

General Van Dona motioned over to where his soldiers had already begun to set up camp. As they walked, he began "You know of Farpoint Keep. It has always been a symbol of hope and a bastion of security for the Legion. Now, it is a target for a rogue element within the Legion."

Bleda halted his walk. "Excuse me?  
Van Dona nodded grimly. "Yes, you've heard the rumors before. Now it is only confirmed."

Bleda shook his head in disbelief. For months there were rumors drifting around the darker places of Tamriel, claiming that one General Ardonius was rallying support to his cause. He claimed that the foundations of the Legion had grown corrupt, and that a time of purging was upon them. Though many people may have actually believed his tales, no dared mention public support for it. All that seemed to have changed. Bleda turned towards Van Dona, any strife between the two disappearing on his part. "What needs to be done, sir?"

Van Dona led him over to a table that already had a map drawn out on it. "You will take the Mountain Wolves and fortify your positions at Farpoint. I will take my army and Join General Tarkus at the base of the cliff in front of Farpoint. Together, we hope our two armies can repel Ardonius. However, make sure that your defenses are foolproof, as we are sure some of Ardonius' men will break through our lines and try to take Farpoint."

Bleda looked over at Kilian, who merely nodded. Bleda did not like the outlook of things. From the statistics already displayed on the map, General Ardonius still outnumbered the combined strength of Tarkus and Van Dona three-to-one. "Are you certain you can repel them?"

Van Dona shook his head. "We have to." He sighed. "If Farpoint falls, then the Imperial Legion will fall under Ardonius command. That must not happen."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Bleda bustled about, making sure that the company was ready to move as soon as the last person was ready. He issued out orders to scouts and runners, insuring that the path would be clear and that word got out to any freelance fighters who would take up arms with them at the keep. Though it was unknown to many why Farpoint was so revered, it was due more to the fact of its symbolic nature. Farpoint Keep represented a location where the troubles of the Legion were taken, where minor or major disputes were finally settled. To control such a structure would bring great influence to whoever obtained it. In the case of General Ardonius, it would be the pinnacle of his conquest. Bleda was hellbent on insuring that he would never lay claim of Farpoint. At one point, Kilian approached him, a short sword strapped to either hip and a spear on his back.

"Captain, the last legionnaire is ready to go. We can move out on your orders."

Bleda gave the signal to move out. "Onward to Farpoint Keep. We'll travel down the road towards Bosmora, where we'll stop and gather supplies and any mercenaries who wish to join us. From there, it's straight southwest to Farpoint Keep."

Kilian nodded and gave the signal to his aide, who sounded the horn, initiating the march southwards. The company was a force of one hundred and fifty soldiers. They marched in ranks three across. Bleda walked to the side and to the front of the force so that any messengers or officers could contact him readily. It wasn't long before a female soldier, several inches shorter than Bleda, hustled over to his side. "What in the Nine is going on, Bleda?" The red-haired officer asked rather sharply.

Bleda looked over at her while he strode. "What's wrong, Aurora?"

Aurora narrowed her eyes. "The fact that no one will tell me why we are marching to Farpoint! What, are you and Kilian the only ones qualified to know?" He grimaced as she kept pace beside him.

Bleda groaned. "Look, Aurora, I was going to tell you, but I also had to muster our forces for the march."  
Aurora scoffed. "I can see that, Koradis."

Bleda shot her a glare. "That's Captain Koradis, Lieutenant Northwind."

The red-haired woman laughed sarcastically. "Whoa, what's wrong with you? Normally you hate titles... and this is me we are talking about, 'Captain'."

"Exactly."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Bleda sighed irritably. "It means that you are a pain in the ass sometimes."

Aurora Northwind scoffed again. "Okay, I'll come back when you aren't so grumpy... Captain." She said as she stormed off back to her squad.

Bleda hadn't even time to process what had happened before another woman approached him. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her green eyes portrayed a bewildered look. "What's wrong with Aurora, Bleda?"

The young captain shook his head. "I don't know, Estara." Estara sighed. "I'm sorry, Bleda. She's normally not like that."

Bleda let out a real laugh. "Sergeant, she's my fiance. I would know."

As strange as Bleda thought it at times, he was engaged to Aurora Northwind. Their personalities clashed on many occasions, but they had a strong love for each other. Bleda was the calmer of the two by far, but yet she possessed a strong passion for life and victory that the young Imperial legionnaire could not help but admire. It was that passion that attracted Bleda to her in the first place. "Of course he would know." A large, dark skinned man of Redguard heritage proclaimed. A large iron claymore was strapped across his back. "Bleda has always fallen for the short and feisty."

Estara chuckled. "I'll give you that, Jex. Yeah, short and supportive was never his thing."

The broad shouldered Jex roared with laughter as he marched on by to his own squad. "That's why he never found you attractive!"

Bleda and Estara both rolled their eyes in unison. Neither had any feelings for the other, but they were constantly teased by both Jex and another friend, Marconius, when they had spent much of their free time training together when they were young teens.

"That Jex," Estara said, a smile on her bright and innocent face, "What would we do without him?"

Bleda laughed. "I don't have an answer, Sergeant Locke."

Estara brushed a strand of hair out of her eye. "Well, I'll be getting back to my unit. You'll let me know the details of what's happening once we get to Farpoint, right?" Bleda nodded. "Great!" She offered a whole-hearted salute. "Until then, Captain." She promptly declared, a smile on her face before she left.

The march toward Bosmora was not difficult at all. Only once did the legendary Mountain Wolves stop to rest and eat a light meal before proceeding on down to the city. Upon their arrival, they slept in makeshift cots and tents a few miles outside of the town. Bleda set up his command tent in the middle of the camp, and while many soldiers were fast asleep, he was wide awake, studying over map of the terrain of the region of Farpoint. Before sending them off to respective squads, Bleda fully informed his officers of the situation regarding their mission. Sighs and grumbles flowed over his lips that night, as he decided the best courses of action for fortifying the keep.

"Hey." A quiet voice said, interrupting his deliberations.

Bleda looked up and noticed Aurora standing at the front of the tent, a flap half folded up as her head was poked in. "Come in." He said, no real emotion behind the statement.  
Aurora slowly crept in, walking up behind Bleda. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about earlier."  
Bleda slightly smiled and put his free hand on one of her arms. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart."

Aurora shook her head. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you, though. You had orders and you were just carrying them out. I guess I'm too damn impatient sometimes."

Bleda turned around, fully facing her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, my dear Aurora, you can truly be that." His blue eyes sparkled as he gazed into her blue-green eyes. "But, I still love you despite that." He leaned forward and kissed her softly on her forehead.

Aurora beamed. "You are too good to me, Koradis." She said softly, brushing his cheek.

Bleda shrugged. "Hey, it's nothing."

Aurora shook her head. "Not to me... for me, it's everything." She pulled his head down and kissed him warmly on the lips. She held him in that deep kiss for a moment before letting go and staring up into his eyes again. "That's why I love you."

Bleda wrapped his arms around her, pulling Aurora into a strong hug. No words were spoken for several minutes as the two were lost in the moment. After the moment had passed, Bleda pulled away from the embrace and motioned over to his planning table. "I could use some of your insight, sweetheart." He said as he sat in his chair.

Lieutenant Northwind gently massaged his shoulders as she peered at the map. "Well, I assume you've taken into account that the opposing force can only come up the natural ramp on the eastern slope of the cliff face."

Bleda nodded. "Indeed, I have." Farpoint keep was easily defendable. There was only one direct route up to the keep, only wide enough for a force to march four abreast. However, at the end of the ramp, the slope opened up and the defenders would be hard pressed to defend an entire section of wall. Still, that was entirely better odds than an attack on all four side of the keep. Farpoint's defenders had won many battles due to the fact that it was placed in such a strategically useful and defendable location.

Aurora titled her head and pointed at the ramp. "Have you considered placing boulders above the path? They could be hurled down at the right moment to hold back any advance from the besiegers." He raised an eyebrow at Bleda, curiously.

Bleda grinned. "Capital thinking, Aurora." He placed small markers to indicate rocks along the ramps path. Another smile escaped his lips. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."  
Aurora stopped massaging his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his neck again. "That's why you have me." She said before she kissed him on the cheek. Captain Koradis smiled again. He felt so fortunate to have someone like Aurora by his side. Her keen insight was always a blessing that he never took for granted.

"Well," He began, "This is going to be quite the mission, Aurora. I can't say I like the prospect nor the odds. There's only a small company of soldiers from the respectable Crimson Spears company defending the keep currently. Even with our numbers, we will not break three hundred men. Surely it will be thousands assailing our walls." He sighed deeply and somewhat sadly.

Aurora kept her tight embrace about Bleda's shoulders. "But you'll be there, so we can't lose." He chuckled as she said those last words. "You're the finest soldier in all of the Legion."

Bleda shrugged. "I don't know, sweetheart." He gazed at the map on the table. "It's all general hype and hysteria anyways. I'm no hero."

Aurora sighed. "Bleda, I'm actually trying to be supportive here. You spend most of your time off duty training, becoming extremely proficient at anything to drill at or with. You are unmatched with the blade and spear, your physical prowess is second to none, and you are the most brilliant man I have ever known."

Bleda smirked, both at her statements and the fact that she was, surprisingly, being supportive. "You really believe all that?"

She turned his head towards her and lightly kissed him. "You better believe I do." She squeezed his arm lightly. "You have saved many of us in this company a hundred times over on the front lines, impressed even the greatest of warriors from all over Tamriel with your abilities. If anyone will be our salvation at this battle, it'll be you, Bleda."

Bleda smiled at her and returned her kiss. "I really appreciate your words, Aurora. They do mean so much to me."

Aurora rolled her eyes, her typical personality returning. "Yeah, yeah, just don't let it get to your head." She ruffled up his hair playfully. "I don't need a hothead as a future husband."

Bleda raised his hands in defense playfully. "Wouldn't even dream of it.

"  
Aurora smiled and kissed him again. "Good." She then stood and moved to the flap of the tent. "Meet for me breakfast before we move out?"

Bleda nodded. "Of course."

Aurora smiled. "Good night, my Bleda."

Bleda grinned. "Sleep well."

Aurora nodded before departing his tent. Bleda took a deep breath, a renewed vigor flowing through him. He took up a few more maps, those of specific castle layouts, and began to revise his defensive strategies.


End file.
